NUMA servers enter first phase of integrating Unix and NT
Data center users will see Unix and Microsoft Windows NT integrated on non-uniform memory access (NUMA) servers over the next three years. The first phase of integration will begin this year in Sequent Computer Systems Inc.'s NUMA-Q 2000 servers, which will execute NT applications against Unix databases. The servers will have shared storage and systems management software under NT and Dynix PTX, Sequent's Unix operating system.
Win95 reps rush to aid the Air Force in installation battle
Sonny Brown got the attention of software giant Microsoft Corp. when he complained about the struggle he had installing Windows 95 at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The base had to upgrade about 200 PCs and buy as many as 300 more to accommodate the changeover to Win95 from MS-DOS and Windows for Workgroups.
JWID '98 expands on past and looks to future
Military leaders will put a smorgasbord of high-tech systems through their paces during Joint Warrior Interoperability Demonstration '98, which begins today. The Coalition Wide Area Network, which lets U.S. and allied forces share operational data, is making a return engagement from last year's JWID. The Defense Information Systems Agency developed CWAN for coalition forces because America's allies cannot use the Defense Department's Secret IP Router Network.
LAB NOTES
Light at the end of the tunnel? Or is it an oncoming train? Microsoft Corp. has said the second beta version of its Windows NT 5.0 is on track for release this summer. A third beta version will get wider distribution before the final release. Previous statements had indicated a final NT 5.0 release in the first half of next year, and observers think the date may slip to late 1999. Some organizations that have held
Commerce creates separate CIO organization
Roger Baker, who will become the first chief information officer at the Commerce Department, says that by selecting him, the senior management has indicated its intent to embrace electronic commerce. "I believe my hiring shows the commitment of Secretary William Daley and Commerce to be a fully active participant in the electronic commerce age," he said.
DOD agrees with IG, builds new system to track code work
ASD-C3I's Arthur Money says an improved database for Defense agencies' use is in the works. The Defense Department is fielding a new database to track progress on year 2000 programs. DOD began work on the database in May. It had been using the Defense Integration Support Tools database to monitor date code work departmentwide.
Microsoft, like Unix crowd, will find that more is less
"There are too many flavors." That was the knock on Unix given to me when I asked why we should switch our network operating system from Unix to Microsoft Windows NT. Too many versions wasn't the only explanation, according to one of the information technology managers involved in the decision. Other, less-public reasons were that Windows had a familiar look and feel and that the technical support staff never was very comfortable with Unix in
ENTERPRISE COMPUTING
Network Integrity Inc. has added transactional safeguards for database files and support for Novell Btrieve and GroupWise databases to its LANtegrity 4.0 for NetWare package. The real-time data protection software supports symmetric multiprocessing servers and user-controlled system utilization. The Marlborough, Mass., company prices LANtegrity 4.0 at $6,995 for 100 users. Contact Network Integrity at 508-460-6670.
PROFESSIONAL CALENDAR
28-30 Data Warehousing Conference and exposition. New York. Contact Digital Consulting Inc. Customer Service, 204 Andover St., Andover, Mass. 01810; tel. 978-470-3880. 10-12 Information Systems Auditing Seminar. Chicago. Contact Michael I. Sobol Training Institute, 498 Concord St., Framingham, Mass. 01702; tel. 508-879-7999. 24-26 Managing Information Security Programs Seminar. New York. Contact Michael I. Sobol Training Institute, 498 Concord St., Framingham, Mass. 01702; tel. 508-879-7999.
GCN INTERVIEW: Ray Long, FAA's year 2000 pilot
Long said he loves challenges and was delighted to take the promotion after managing the year 2000 effort for the Federal Aviation Administration's Air Traffic Services. After a year in college, Long shipped out to Vietnam where he served as an air traffic controller in the Army. He started his government career 18 years ago at FAA after attending, in his words, the "school of hard knocks, where I earned a Ph.D."
Air Force's new BPAs give service chance to try commercial practices
The Air Force's blanket purchasing agreement with Dell Computer Corp. and Micron Electronics Inc. demonstrates that the service is willing to try new contract vehicles, a leading Standard Systems Group official said. "They have been looking for ways to put in place best commercial practices," said Kenneth Heitkamp, SSG technical director at Gunter Air Force Base Annex, Ala. "The BPA allows the Air Force to offer its customers quicker turnaround and gives them the advantage of
CIO Council wants IT execs to learn skills in school
In the hopes of providing government information technology executives the skills to oversee their multifaceted tasks, the Chief Information Officers Council is working to create a virtual CIO University. Online classrooms will only be one element of the CIO University, as the project has been named. Program officials want to include a number of universities and colleges as well as the public and private sector. Late this year, the CIO Council will issue a solicitation to
CIOs set IT framework
Alan Proctor, agency liaison, says the council expects compliance. The Chief Information Officers Council has issued a draft governmentwide systems architecture that its members expect agencies to adopt after a final plan is issued this fall. "Whether you call it best practices or guidance, … in fact, it's what we would expect agencies to do," said Alan Proctor, the CIO Council's liaison to agencies. The model represents the council's statement on
Use Visual Explorer to get your files in order—almost
Pros and cons: + Easy file manipulation and visual browsing – Weak network interface – Manual setting required for each folder Real-life requirements: Windows 9x, 16M RAM, CD-ROM drive, 35M free on hard drive Putting Visual Explorer on your computer is like flipping on a light in a dark room, even if the bulb is a little dim.
USDA says bank errors stalled IMPAC service
Vendors rejected U.S. Bank-issued IMPAC cards when Agriculture users tried to buy supplies, department officials say. Overbilling was partly to blame. Accounting errors and a computer glitch by the provider of its IMPAC credit cards left Agriculture Department employees without use of their cards for three days recently, USDA officials said.
People
Government Technology Services Inc. of Chantilly, Va., has appointed Carolyn L. Redmon to the post of senior vice president of its sales operations unit and has promoted Stephen L. Waechter to senior vice president. Redmon will be responsible for inside sales functions; the acting chief information officer reports to her. Waechter is also chief financial officer of GTSI.
This year, GSA's FAST is a speedy moneymaker
Kansas City's FAST program for GSA's Heartland Region has been the strongest earner. The General Services Administration's efforts to make the Federal Acquisition Services for Technology program a speedy as well as profitable fee-for-service organization are succeeding, FAST's director said. "We lost our shirts last year, but that's changed this year," said Claude Garmon, the program's director.
Rugged GridCase notebook withstands dust, shock
The GridCase notebook computer has endured plenty of shocks and vibrations in its long and rugged federal career. The magnesium-cased notebook also is sealed against dust and water. A base 1580XGA unit has a 166-MHz Pentium MMX processor, 32M to 192M of synchronous dynamic RAM, 32K of Level 1 cache and 512K of Level 2 cache. The removable 2.1G hard drive is expandable to 5G.
Correction
An interview with Jon Klem of PeopleSoft Inc. that appeared in the June 1 edition of GCN included incorrect personal information. Klem is the vice president and general manager for the Pleasanton, Calif., company's federal business unit. His hobbies are golfing and fly fishing. His favorite Web site is http://www.nasdaq.com, and he recently read Primary Colors by Joe Klein.
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